Machine for cutting buttonholes



Patented June 2l, 1927.

UNITED STATES ,Pixiiazla'rv oF'FicE.

'i JOI-IN SIARKOW'SKII,v OF BUFFALQNEW YORK.

MACHINE 'FOR ,CUTTING BUTTONHOLES.

Application filed .Tuly 12,

This invention relates to improvements in Vmachines for cutting button-holes in garments.

One of its objects 1s the provision of a `foot-operated machine of this character and arranged that it is easy and convenient to operate. n A

A still further object is to provide the machine with means for facilitating the spacing of the button-holes in the garment preparatory to cutting them.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a button-hole machine embodying my invention. 'Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on line 3-3, Fig. 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section on line 4 4, Fig. 2. Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section Aon line 5-5, Fig. 4. Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional side view of a modification of the invention. Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In thel preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the improved machine is designed for attachment to a table 10 or other appropriate support, and for this purpose its main frame 11, which carries the various working partsof the machine, is shaped to embrace the front edgeof the table, as shown in Fig. 1, a clamping screw 12 mounted. in vthe-lower arm 13 of theframe serving to reliably hold the machine in place. The upper arm 14 of this frame rests on the top of the table and terminates at its rear end in garment-supporting members or ledges 15 which are spaced apart laterally to form a longitudinal slot or opening 16'between them for receivingan adjustable width-gage 17 rotatably mounted on a horizontal pin 18 projecting from the arm and centrally of said opening, yas shown in Figs. 4 and This widthgage is polygonal in cross sectlon and its fiat faces 19 are of varying lengths to produce .different-sized button-holes in the Y 1926. Serial N0. 121,912.

garments. The front end of the width-gage normally bears against the opposing rear wall of the arm 14 and is provided with an annular row of depressions 20, one or another of which is adapted to engage a tooth 21 in such-rear wall. A nut- 22 is applied to the threaded end of the pin 18 for preventing displacement of the width-gage. As

shown in Fig. 4, the width of the opening 16at its top is suficient to expose but one of the faces 19 of the width-gage, such face being flush with the corresponding upper sidesfof the ledges 15 to permit the garment to rest smoothly thereon during the cuttingoperations.

'Mounted on. the frame 11 for vertical movement toward and from the width gage v17 is a cutter-head 23 of substantially L- shape, the upright member 24 thereof being guided in a vertical slot 25 formed in the front portion of the frame and the horizontal arm or member 26 thereof overhanging the upper frame-arm 14. VA lrnife 27 and punch 28 are removably mountedrin the cutter head arm 26 and positioned directly over the width gage, asV shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The knife may be seated in a groove 29 in the underside of said arm and held therein by screws 30 while the punch is seated in an opening 31 and is of tubular form topermit y the discharge of the waste material therethrough. Springs 32 applied to the cutterhead serve to normally hold it in its elevated, inoperative position shown by dotted lines in Fig. v1. In this position, a stopflange 33 on the lower end of the upright member v24 of the cutter-head engages the opposing lower end of the frame'll.

The cutter-head is preferably lowered to its operative position, shown by full lines in Fig. 1, by means of a foot-lever 34 fulcrum-ed at 35 and connected by a linlrr 36 with an ear 37 formed at the'lower end of the cutter-head member 24. A spring 38 applied toV this lever tends constantlyto swing the lever upwardly to its inoperative position. f

--It will be understood that when cutting a buttonho'le in the garment, a fragment of which is shown -at 39, the same is placed over the supporting ledges 15 and the width gage 17 in the manner shown in Fig. 4. For the purpose of reliably holding the garment in position on the ledges and preventing accidental. shifting or displacement thereof during the `Cutting Operation, the cutterneeaiee head is provided on either side of the lrnife 27 with clamping feet or pads endet). rhese pads are adapted to bear tlatwise on the garment and have plnngers 41 rising therefrom which are guidedfor vertical move- ,mentin socketed brackets l2 attached by screws e3 to the opposite sides of the cutterhead arm 26. Springs 14e arranged in the sockets of these brackets and bearingon the tops of the plungers yieldingly resist upward displacement of the pads, while companion pins and slots 16 limit their movement in either direction. rlhe front ends of the pads are curved upwardly to easily facilitate the insertion of the garment between them and the supporting ledges.

To properlyY determine the location of the but-tonhole from the edge of the garment, an adjustable bar l? is arranged transversely of thc frame 11 and forwardly of the width 17. This edge-gage is preferably carried by a pair of supporting arms e8' disposed on opposite sides of the frame and mounted on the ends of a bolt e9 guided longitudinal movement toward and from the width gage and knife 2T in slots 50. Along its upper edge the frame has a suitable scale 51 along which the edge-gage is adapted to traverse and the latter' is held in a desired set position by the nut 52 or similar clamping device applied to the bolt 49.

Disposed beneath the width-gage and ei;- tending transversely of the machine is a measuring de vice 5?) against which the garment adapted to bc placed for marking and spacing the button-holes preparatory Yto cutting them, The frame i1 provided beneath the width with a horizontal recess for removably receiving the measuring device, the latter being provided in its underside with grooves engaging corresponding tongues 5G in the bottom wall of the recess. Applied to thc upper side of the n'ieasurino` device are a pair of bowed springs 5i 7hich engage grooves 58 in the undorsides of the frame-ledges 1,5. By this construction and arrangement of parts, the measuring device is conveniently located, it does not interfere with the other parts of the machine and it is reliably held against displacement both lengthwise and crosswisc of the machine.

Briefly stated, the operation of the machine is as follows:

Assume the width-gage 17 and edge-gage 17 to be properly set for the length of loutton-holes desired and for the location thereof from the edge of the garment, respectively. The garment is first placed against the measuring device or rule 53 and the tailor marks the location of the buttonholes according to the spacing desired. He then places it over the width gage and ledges 15 in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the edge of the garment abutting against the edge-gage and a given mark for the button-hole in line with or directly over the operating face 19 of said width-gage. The foot-lever 3e is now depressed from the dotted line to the full line position shown in Fig. 1,` which operation cuts-the buttonhole in the garment. After releasing the foot-lever, the garment is shifted transversely of the machine to cut the next buttonhole and so on.

rfhis improved machine is manifestly siniple and compact in construction, requiring but a minimum amount of space in the tailors shop; its operation is easy andV leaves the hands of the operator free to handle the garment; and itl permits the uniform cutting of a maxii'num number of button-holes in a minimum period of time.

In the modification shown in l? ig. 6, the washer 59 which is arranged between the end of the width-gage 17 and its clamping nut .22,is provided with a dependinglip or brace 60 resting at its lower end-on the projecting rear end 1e of tlc frame-arm 14, as sho-wn, or on the measuring device 53, as shown by dotted lines in 5. yJihis lip functions as a brace and supports the free end Yof the width-gage when pressure is exerted thereon and eliminates the strain on the pin 18.

Y l claim as my invention;

1. A button-hole cutting machine, comprising a frame having an upright guideway and van arm terminating at its free end in a pair of spaced supports on which Athe garment is adapted to be placed, a Width-gage disposed in the space between said supports, a vertically-'slidable cutter-head having a aart engaging said frame-guideway and a part overhanging said Width-gage, a knife applied to the last-named cutter-head part and arranged to cooperate with the widthgage to form a button-hole in the garment. and means for actuating .said cutter-head int-o and out of its operative position.

2. A button-hole cutting machine, comprising a pair `of relatively movable memhers, one of said members constituting a support for the garment and the other a cutter-head, a width-gage mounted on saidA supporting member, a knife applied to said cutter-head and arranged to cooperate with the width-gage, and moans applied to said cutter-heal for holding the garment on to said supporting member.

3. A button-hole cutting machine, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members c-onstitutinga support for the garment and the other a cutterhea-d, a width-gage mounted on said supporting member, a knife applied to said cutter-head and arranged to cooperate with the width-gage, and 'garment-engaging elements carried by said Vcutter-head and disposed on opposite sides of its knife, said elements being movable with said cutter-head toward and from the Work and adapted to hold the garment on to saidsupporting member in the operative position of the cutter-head.

4. A button-hole cutting machine, comprising a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members constituting` a support for the garment and the other a cutterhead, a Width-gage mounted on said supporting member, a knife applied to said cutter.

head and arranged to; cooperate with the Width-gage, brackets arranged onv opposite sides of the cutter-head adjacent its knife, and garment-engaging elements yieldably suspended from said brackets.

5. A button-hole cutting machine, comprising a pair of relatively movable niembers, one of said members constituting a support for the garment and the other a cutterhead, a Width-gage mounted on said supporting member, a knife applied to said cutter-head and arranged to cooperate with the width-gage, brackets arranged on opposite sides of the cutter-head adjacent its knife, garment-engaging elements including plungers slidable vertically in said brackets, and springs for urging said elements into clamping engagement with the garment.

6. A button-hole cutting machine, comprising a frame having an upright guideway and an arm terminating at its free end in a pair of spaced supports on which the garment is adapted to .be placed, a Widthgage disposed in the space between said supports, an adjustable edge-gage for the garment arranged transversely of said 'framearm and forwardly of said Width-gage, means for holdingthe edge-gage in a set position, a verticallvslidable cutter-head having a .part engaging said frame-guide- Way and a part overhanging the Width-gage and the edge-gage, a knife applied to the last-named cutter-headpart and arranged to cooperate with the Width-gage to form a button-hole in the garment, and means for actuating said cutterinto and out of its operative position.

JOHN SIARKOWSKI. 

